Depression Worsens ADHD Inattentive (ADHD PI) symptoms

Depression worsens ADHD Symptoms

Symptoms of depression will worsen the cognitive problems of people with ADHD inattentive. Depression and anxiety often co-exist with symptoms of ADHD Inattentive.  This seems intuitive but we seem to seen depression as an emotional or social problem and ADHD as a brain processing or cognitive problem.

It turns out that, according to a new Canadian study, that the severity of symptoms of depression is linked to the severity of brain processing problems. The more depressed a person is, the worse they will score on test of processing speed, verbal recall and task shifting tests. According to the researchers of this study, “The co-occurrence of ADHD and depressive symptoms in adults is associated with additional neuro-cognitive impairment.”

Though this study did not look at the cognitive affects of ADHD and anxiety, another emotional problem that frequently co-exists with ADHD Inattentive, I would suspect that the findings would be similar and that anxiety will also worsens the brain processing problems seen in people with ADHD.

It is not at all uncommon for patients diagnosed with ADHD Inattentive to have a co-diagnosis of another medical problem.  Depression is one of the coexisting problems commonly seen in people with ADHD Inattentive (ADHD PI).  It is clear from this study that when depression or anxiety co-exists with ADHD, both disorders will have to be treated in order that the cognitive deficits that occur in people with ADHD be lessened.

Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2011 May 17. [Epub ahead of print]
Additive Neurocognitive Deficits in Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Depressive Symptoms.
Larochette AC, Harrison AG, Rosenblum Y, Bowie CR.